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Monday, July 9, 2012

Jack and the Beanstalk.Rapunzel.
The Walking Fish?
Perhaps we haven't read all the world's fairy tales yet!

A family love of books may very well be the key to escaping from the Land of Stories for a brother and sister who are still mourning their father's death.

They'll also find out what happened "happily ever after" to Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and other famous fairy tale subjects when they grew up!

When I picked up The Wishing Spell, my first thought was "hey, this guy's book will be shelved next to Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series - should get lots of attention that way" - not realizing that author Chris Colfer was also television star Chris Colfer. He ably weaves new stories like the Curvy Tree and the Walking Fish into Conner and Alex's adventures and encounters with classic fairy tale characters.

This first book in The Land of Stories series will be published on July 17, 2012, so get on the reserve list at your local library or independent bookstore now.
**kmm

My Recommendation: A dark dungeon or a middle school classroom – both can be
prisons until the right fairy tale magic opens all the doors. One story sends a
brother and sister questing through amazing lands where courage and cleverness
may unlock the secrets to save a kingdom ...and their lives.

Conner and Alex loved Dad’s stories, like the legend of the
Curvy Tree and the tale of the Walking Fish. Since he was killed last year in a
car crash, it’s been rough for the twins and their mom. When Grandma gives them
the family’s special storybook for their twelfth birthday, Alex reads herself
right into the Land of Stories, and her brother has to jump in after her!

A talking frog who collects books, a gingerbread house in
the woods, the three Charming brothers (formerly princes, now kings) – all the
tales that the Baileys grew up hearing are real and true here! But now
Goldilocks has grown up to be a swordswoman and wanted fugitive, the Big Bad
Wolf’s family has vowed revenge on self-obsessed Queen Red Riding Hood, and Queen
Cinderella is expecting a royal baby any day now.

If they ever want to see their mom or their world again, the
twins will need the rare Wishing Spell. Luckily, Froggy had found a handwritten
journal outlining the items needed to create the Spell, sending Conner and Alex
through all the kingdoms of Happily Ever After to find them.

Alas, the Evil Queen has escaped from Queen Snow White’s dungeon with the magic mirror and will stop at nothing to have the Wishing
Spell for herself!

Will the twins be able to acquire everything for the Wishing
Spell? Can they escape troll caverns, goblin prisons, and over-talkative travel
companions? Is the Big Bad Wolf Pack still on their trail? And what did the
journal-writer wish for when he completed the first Wishing Spell?

First in a new series, this adventure story introduces
new-to-us fairy tales along with intriguing what-happened-later versions of
familiar classics. (One of 5,000 books recommended on www.abookandahug.com) Review copy and cover image courtesy of the publisher.